Compare the2023 Audi A6VS 2023 Cadillac CT5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi A6 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Cadillac CT5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The A6’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The CT5 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the A6 and CT5 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A6 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The CT5’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The A6 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The CT5 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the A6. But it costs extra on the CT5.

Both the A6 and the CT5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi A6 is safer than the Cadillac CT5:

	A6	CT5
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	292/435 lbs.	408/341 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi A6 is safer than the Cadillac CT5:

	A6	CT5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	174 lbs.	209 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	57 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	20 inches
Hip Force	514 lbs.	558 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the A6 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 89 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CT5 has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The A6’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the CT5’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the A6’s reliability 42 points higher than the CT5.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 7 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

Engine

The A6 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 24 more horsepower (261 vs. 237) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 258) than the CT5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the A6 55 TFSI 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid is faster than the Cadillac CT5 turbo 4 cyl.:

	A6	CT5
Zero to 60 MPH	5 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	13.5 sec	15.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	102.7 MPH	91.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the A6 gets better mileage than the CT5:

			MPG
A6
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/31 hwy
		3.0 turbo V6 Hybrid	21 city/30 hwy
CT5
	RWD	3.0 turbo V6	19 city/27 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/30 hwy
		3.0 turbo V6	18 city/26 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the A6’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CT5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The A6 has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the CT5 (19.3 vs. 17.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The A6 offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The CT5 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A6’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the CT5:

	A6	CT5
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.4 inches

The A6’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the CT5 are solid, not vented.

The A6 stops shorter than the CT5:

	A6	CT5
60 to 0 MPH	107 feet	114 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the CT5.

The A6 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the CT5; it requires you to depend on its optional run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the A6 is 1.4 inches wider in the front than on the CT5.

The A6 Prestige handles at .93 G’s, while the CT5 Sport pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The A6 Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the CT5 Sport (24.9 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 26.2 seconds @ .68 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The A6 has 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the CT5.

Cargo Capacity

The A6 has a much larger trunk than the CT5 (13.7 vs. 11.9 cubic feet).

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the A6 offers cargo security. The CT5’s non-lockable folding seat defeats cargo security.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the A6 (except Premium) offers an optional power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The CT5 doesn’t offer a power trunk, so its trunk has to be closed manually.

Towing

The A6’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the CT5’s (3500 vs. 1000 pounds).

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the CT5 Premium Luxury/Sport, the A6 offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

If the windows are left open on the A6 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the CT5 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The A6 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The CT5 doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A6 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The CT5 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The CT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The A6 Prestige’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are standard in the A6 Prestige to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The CT5 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The A6 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the CT5. The A6 also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the CT5.

The A6 Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The CT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi A6, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Cadillac CT5 isn't recommended.